


Blood's Thicker Than Water

by StrikerEurekaTech (purplexeyed)



Series: Cuddle Puddle 'Verse [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-28 12:40:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/992118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplexeyed/pseuds/StrikerEurekaTech
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or: In Which Newt Learns, Hermann Attempts to Woo, Raleigh is Protective-Friend, Chuck is NOT JEALOUS SHUT UP MAKO, Vanessa is Torn Between Cooing and Facepalming and Yancy Just Wishes People Would Stop Making This Relationship Shit So Damn Complicated (And Might Possibly Be Plotting <b>Evil Things</b> For A Small Town Somewhere In Germany)</p><p>Or:<br/>AAAAAAAAAAAAAANGST cuddlepuddle AAAAAAAAANGST maybeanothercuddlepuddle? AAAAAAANGST</p><p>Now with part two: Chuck feels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> -"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb". 
> 
> Translation: the family you choose is more important than those you share DNA with.
> 
> -Okay, I'm kinda on the fence here honestly.
> 
> On one hand, I have seen the movie (I should hope so...).  
> On the other hand, I have not read the book.
> 
> Buuuut. Jaz is in my story. She lives, breathes, exists.  
> So in theory, so should Vanessa.
> 
> Which is how this ended up happening.
> 
> -Holy fuck I have no idea what happened. Seriously. My muse decided to out-angst the first three parts and she did it **_with relish_**. ANGST AHOY, you have been warned.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt found himself sneaking glances at Hermann instead of paying strict attention to his work. See, this was why he preferred it when Raleigh was around; the other man gave him someone to talk to, plus a built in distraction from sneaking glances. That and Raleigh never seemed to mind him babbling on about kaiju, so long as he used layman's terms. In fact, he seemed interested, even though he'd told Newt straight up that he hated kaiju.

Either way, Raleigh made a good lab assistant. If they managed to win this war, Newt was totally calling dibs. Assuming the American would stick around, anyway. 

"Newton."

He jumped, slightly, then noticed that he was dribbling neutralized kaiju blue on the floor. "Shit." He muttered before he quickly stemmed the flow, then began to clean up. While he usually didn't care if the entrails were all over, he did make a point to keep the blue contained. Even with it neutralized, it still bothered people—most notably Hermann and Tendo.

And while the latter wasn't down here too often, the former was. As it was half his workspace too. And while Newt couldn't be bothered to organize his specimens in a matter that would make sense to the average human being, he did know where everything was. So, despite the clutter driving Hermann spare, it stayed because it worked. The blue, though...that was another story. It served no purpose, so Newt was more than okay with being careful and keeping it well contained.

"If you are going to stare at my work, then put yours down." 

He jumped. Then returned his focus, with difficulty, to the liver he was dissecting. He did not need to keep sneaking glances; if he was interested, he could just say so. Really. 

Then again...he didn't know how exactly the other scientist would respond. Which was the main problem. Because he all but lived with the man, considering the hours the two spent down in the lab. And while he and Hermann sniped back and forth with rather alarming regularity, it was still friendly. Albeit a snarky, sarcastic one. He had a feeling that asking the man out might upset that. 

So. It was time to break out the science. Or should he say the scientific method? 

Step one, ask a question: Is Hermann interested in him (romantically)?

Step two was a bit harder. As the staff had been severely whittled down and it was pretty much just Hermann and himself...there was no one else, really. Some of the others might be aware of Hermann, know his name...but the idea of them knowing him better than Newt was unlikely. And he knew nothing about his family, if he still even had any. And with the world the way it was, outright asking about a person's family had a tendency to not end well. Then again, middle of a war against 2500 ton plus sea monsters from the deep. Sad, yes. To be expected? Also a yes.

He glared down at his paper. Step two, it seemed, was a bit of a stumbling block. How could he conduct background research on someone who was typically distant and asocial with him, let alone everyone else?

...okay, that wasn't entirely fair. Hermann, despite their bickering, had lightened up a bit since he'd first met the man. In the beginning, those now-fairly-playful barbs had been firm, cold and vicious. He'd also had the tendency to completely ignore Newt if they weren't directly working together. Now, though...he was alright with conversation as long as it wasn't interrupting his work. He reminded Newt to eat, as Hermann was better with time management than he'd ever been. And, he was pretty sure, he was one of the few people in the entire Shatterdome that Hermann was completely at ease around.

Once. Just once. He could have sworn he saw something like a smile on the other man's face. But he'd blinked and then it was gone.

"What are you doing?"

Newt jumped, then quickly covered the paper. "Something." He responded.

That earned him an "oh, really?" look before the other man indicated the clock.

"Oh right. Lunch!"

The tiniest of half-smiles appeared on Hermann's face as he followed Newt towards the mini fridge where they usually kept their food. It was in a separate room that was sealed off from the rest of the lab; it was one thing the other scientist hadn't been willing to budge on. Then again, Newt wasn't exactly of the mind that neutralized kaiju blue would do wonders for the digestive system.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt stared blankly at his food; his mind was still focused on how to better complete step two. Seriously, what on earth could he do that would count as background research when the only people he could use as sources spent less time around Hermann than he did? The Marshal was also likely far too busy to greet such a request with anything other than a firm "no". And while he was pretty sure Tendo would humor him, he wasn't so sure the man knew anything about Hermann he wasn't already aware of.

...then again, Tendo did seem to know everything. About everyone. He never seemed to gossip, either. He just...knew. Newt was almost willing to bet he'd just memorized everyone's files and was just a keen enough observer to extrapolate from there. The man was brilliant; had to be to make J-Tech Chief. So he wasn't looking to underestimate him.

The problem with that idea was that, as much as he guessed Tendo didn't gossip, he also didn't do so well with secrets. The man was, for the most part, an open book. So if anyone happened to ask what he and Newt had spoken of, Tendo would reply honestly and probably think nothing of it. That and if he talked to the man, then asked him to keep in quiet, that would only make him wonder. And a curious Tendo would be bad for Newt's trying-to-keep-this-on-the-down-low. 

And while Tendo was generally a pretty laid back guy, he knew the man wouldn't be alright with him looking at Hermann's file. That would be a serious breach of protocol; one that not even the J-Tech Chief would be able to ignore. He considered his sandwich again.

"Eating is a much more practical way of absorbing nutrients."

Newt looked over at Hermann. He was ninety percent sure that was a joke.

The other scientist raised an eyebrow.

He grinned, then took a bite of it. Not bad; not his favorite, but not bad.

-x-x-x-x-

Hermann frowned as he watched Newton. The man's mind was clearly not on his work. And he seemed to be sneaking the same kind of covert glances at Hermann that Hermann kept sneaking at him.

It seemed that perhaps a call to his wife was due.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt scowled at his plan-to-find-out-once-and-for-all. Still stuck on step two and the only thing he could honestly think of was pulling a 007 and raiding the filing cabinet. The one that housed the personnel files.

On the up side, he had managed to focus and get done what he'd aimed to today. That was pretty much the only bright point. Because if he tried his only plan and got caught? He would be in more trouble than it was worth. It was well-known that the kaiju-worshippers were always on the lookout for ways to go after the pilots. For them, it was the next best thing to taking a shot at a jaeger.

That said, he knew that despite his friendly and somewhat manic demeanor, at least one of the higher ups suspected that he was one of the kaiju-nuts. And he was. A kaiju-enthusiast, anyway, which would be considered a nut by pretty much anyone. But he was not a kaiju-worshipper. He didn't think they were here to punish the human race for something. And while he'd love to understand them, the ultimate goal was to stop, if not outright destroy, them all.

All the protests in the world wouldn't protect him, though. Especially not since one of the higher ups already thought he was one. 

True, he hadn't lost anyone himself to the kaiju. He hadn't had to.

He saw Herc and Chuck Hansen. Tendo. The Marshal himself. Mako. 

All of them had lost someone—multiple someones, in Mako's case—to the kaiju. He saw how badly it hurt them; how they fought or worked tirelessly to prevent the same thing from happening to someone else. He knew, too, that was part of the reason Raleigh had such a hatred for them: he'd almost lost Yancy to one.

And he'd lost someone. Not to the kaiju, but, he'd lost someone just the same. And it hurt, it fucking hurt like nothing else. To imagine that their death had been caused not by a genetic flaw but by a rampaging sea monster? Newt knew he'd feel the same as Herc, Chuck, Tendo, Mako, the Marshal...

So while he was fascinated? He was not on board with letting them wipe humanity off the face of the planet. Studying them was also so much easier when they were dead. And while he kinda did wanna see one up close while it was alive? It was probably safer that he didn't.

He just wished he'd known that Tendo had been in 'Frisco when Trespasser had made landfall before he made that remark in front of him.

The man hadn't spoken to him for weeks afterward.

...besides. If he was a kaiju worshipper, he had a really fucked up cover, if everyone knew of his enthusiasm for them.

-x-x-x-x-

One week had passed since the initial "I am gonna find this shit out" and the implementation of the scientific method.

He was still on step two. And he had no idea how to progress.

"Your specimens giving you problems?" 

He looked up from his dinner to find Tendo joining him at the table.

"Nah, man. The specimens are perfectly preserved. Hell, Raleigh's even been down to help with some of the stuff. In terms of science, it's going great." Well, kaiju-science. Not so with his attempt at using the scientific method to determine if Hermann was actually interested or if he was just projecting.

For all he knew, the man was married.

Just the thought made him feel like a ball of ice had formed in the pit of his stomach; he forced the thought away and resumed eating. Wasting food was never okay; doubly so now, what with rationing.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Newt waved him off; he was willing to bet he'd gone pale or green for a moment.

"So then why the face?"

"What face? This is my face, last I checked."

Tendo grinned. "Too much time around Dr. Gottlieb; you're getting snarkier."

"I was perfectly snarky prior to meeting him, I'll have you know!"

"Yes, but it was more of a nonsensical snarky." Hermann responded dryly as he claimed the seat next to Newt. Who tried and failed not to read into it.

To start with, Hermann had sat alone if he ate in the cafeteria. It was only after a ridiculous amount of pestering that he'd convinced the other man to sit with him. And even after that it hadn't been constant. If Hermann was having a "bad" day, he rarely showed to dinner. If he did? He sat alone and Newt knew damn well he wasn't welcome.

"Are you claiming to have made me better at snarking and making sense?"

"No claims, Newton. Just facts."

Newt blinked. That wasn't....no. No way.

He looked to Tendo, who's brows were raised over the rim of his cup.

No. Just. No. There was no way.

-x-x-x-x-

Hermann had indeed called Vanessa. 

When he brought up their former plan—the one involving letting a third into their relationship—she had only smiled.

"It's about time."

Her smile only widened at his flummoxed expression.

"You've spoken so much of him. At first, it was purely to vent. Now, though, it's more fond." She laughed softly. "I was wondering when you'd notice."

Hermann allowed himself a small, rueful smile.

"As far as I'm concerned, he sounds perfect. As long as he doesn't mind my watching or participating, then I'm alright with it. I should actually be making my way Down Under in a month or so. Think you can woo him by then?"

He scowled. "There will be no 'wooing'."

She giggled. "Like there were no Shakespearean sonnets on a picnic blanket in the park on the perfect sunny day?"

A dull flush brought color to his usually pale countenance.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt was starting to think his scientific-method-plan could happily be chucked out the window. Hermann was...flirting...with him. Or so he thought. His barbs were now all playful, with just the tiniest hint of bite to them. And he'd seen quite a few, albeit small, smiles. All of which had been directed at him.

But...he wasn't sure how to react. Honestly. The timing was a little suspect. Why would this start the moment he decided he wanted to know? There'd been hints all along, what with Hermann not minding his presence as much. And the barbs going from vicious to simply snarky. And how Hermann had started pestering him to make sure he ate.

...though he wasn't sure that was all Hermann. The med techs had a particular dislike of him; most called him a 'kaiju groupie' with far less fondness than the other scientist. While he could understand their dislike, he wasn't fond of treatment that reminded him far too much like growing up in a fairly small town in Germany...

Anyway. He had a tendency to pass out if he went too long without food. And while the calories from caffeinated drinks helped to stave that off, it would only work for twelve hours or so. And then the crash that should have happened prior was even worse. So he was going to guess that the med techs had talked to Hermann and told him to keep Newt out of their hair before they gave him a real reason to be in the infirmary.

"Hey."

He jumped; found Raleigh about two feet away, expression concerned.

It was echoed by Hermann, who was slightly further back.

"Fine, I'm fine. Here to escape the insanity?"

"Something like that." The blond responded; his expression told Newt he wasn't buying the 'fine' but would let it go for now.

"Then do I have things for you to do!"

He lost himself in the whirlwind of work. If it meant pointedly ignoring the concerned looks Hermann and Raleigh kept exchanging when they thought he wasn't looking, well...

-x-x-x-x-

"Dr. Geiszler."

He smothered a wince and fought the urge to hang up. "...hallo, Mutti."

"Wie geht's dir?"

How was he. Oh, he didn't know. Maybe she could try **_not fucking calling_** and he'd do swell. 

"Newt?" Raleigh looked like he was of the mind to take the phone away, so whatever face he was making must've been a doozy.

He waved the jaeger pilot off, but the damage was already done.

"Newt?! Du erlaubst ihnen, dich Eidechse zu nennen?!"

There was a pause, but he knew it wasn't over.

"Ich habe dir doch gesagt, dass du das nicht tun sollst! Wie sollst du respektiert werden, wenn du zulässt, dass--"

He hung up. He didn't care if it would get him in trouble or yelled at later; he couldn't deal with this, not right now.

"Newton...?"

Hermann had joined Raleigh, clearly concerned.

"Gut, mir geht's gut!" He snapped, running a hand through his hair.

"Uh." Raleigh looked to the other scientist.

"He said "fine, I'm fine"." Hermann supplied.

"Bullshit." The blond growled. "Who the fuck called you?"

The other scientist's body language echoed Raleigh's, who was in protective-friend mode.

"...my mother." He muttered stiffly at last, remembering to switch back to English.

He loved her, he really did. But it was a twisted love, distorted by how he was raised, what he'd dealt with due to her. What he'd lost due to her.

She'd named him after that bastard who supplied half of his chromosomes. At first she was proud, so proud to have a son with that fucker. So proud that she went along and had another kid by him. A small, sickly scrap of a girl. That was when things changed.

He'd denounced them. Claimed that such a weak, imperfect creature couldn't have come from his genes, could not be half him. Which meant the protection they'd had from the others of the village was gone and their scorn, their condescension, their hatred was free to be expressed now, in whatever way they chose. 

They'd survived for a while, the three of them. Things weren't good—ostracism never was, really—but they'd survived. Life had gotten easier—they'd breathed easier—when the bastard had died, unexpectedly, of cancer. His wife and their children cared little for his mistress and children on the side—and it was known to be children, because the little girl was the spitting image of her sire.

Right down to the imperfect genes that also caused the cancer that claimed her life before the age of eleven. Newt had been thirteen at the time.

Life was easier—the village wasn't actively mistreating them, his mother had a job and was able to provide for the two of them—but Newt? Newt was sick.

His little sister—the kindest, sweetest, most gentle person he'd ever known—was gone. Dead.

And her life? Had been a short, harsh, unpleasant one. He'd done everything he could, right up to working small, odd jobs for whatever money they'd pay, to look after her, provide things for her. And still her life had been miserable because of those fucking people. That fucking man. And their fucking mother.

She'd clung to the belief, for so damn long, that if little Anika would just get better, just be more healthy, he'd take them back. Look after, care, provide for them again. And she'd clung to it until the day he'd died. By then, it was too late. They were barely scraping by, three mouths to feed—there was no way they could have left. There was no money, no place to go.

But, at one time, she'd had the money to get out. To escape. To leave the small, judgmental backwater hellhole who blamed the woman for sleeping with a married man and said nothing at all about the married man sleeping with the woman. True, she would have left with a two year old and a newborn; had no clue where to go or what she was going to do.

But she'd had the money. She could have left. And then maybe Anika's life would have been better, even if it was still as brief.

So Newt, at the age of thirteen, decided he was getting out of that hellhole. He wasn't sure how but he knew that he would, no matter what it took. Luckily, he'd always been smart. His marks had never been the best, between the lack of food and worry over his sister. But now? Now he had nothing but time and while he'd give it up in a heartbeat to have his baby sister back, there was no way to make that trade.

So he had to make do. And he did.

Got 100% averages in every class for two years straight, got a scholarship to a better high school and got the hell out of town. Six PhDs, plus living on a different continent later and his mom still thought he was planning on coming back someday.

He had been a handful of times since then; all were to visit his sister's grave. And that was all he had done; visit it, leave flowers and then disappear again. 

When he managed to drag himself back to the present, he was startled to see shock on both their faces.

"Your..."

"Mother. Yes." He repeated. "No biggie."

"Yeah, no." Raleigh stated flatly. "Dr. Gottlieb, you're welcome to come with us."

"Come with—what?" Newt replied before Raleigh literally picked him up, slung him over one shoulder and walked off with him. He spluttered but didn't really struggle; he knew the pilot would never drop him. The clicking of Hermann's cane against the concrete floors followed him all the way to their destination, which turned out to be Raleigh's room.

-x-x-x-x-

Chuck looked up, startled, when Raleigh marched in with one of the scientists over his shoulder.

"Raleigh!" Mako scolded.

He ignored her and put said scientist on his bed, then dug around for the pillows and extra blankets. As he did so, Hermann walked in and sat beside the puzzled Newt.

"Ra—"

He got a blanket for his troubles. Chuck shrugged, then abandoned his cards and joined the two scientists on the bed. Yancy, who was observing, shrugged and joined them as well.

"You cannot carry people off like that, Raleigh." Mako grumbled but joined the forming cuddle puddle. One side, the side Hermann sat on, it was just him. Newt was hesitant to lean on him; the other man hadn't struck him as fond of physical contact. Hermann moved closer and indicated that Newt could do so, if he was comfortable enough. 

...yeah, he was.

Which was how he found himself in a Hermann-and-pilots-and-cadet/Ranger-in-training cuddle puddle.

-x-x-x-x-

He smelled peppermint. It was strange; there was no peppermint, let alone plants in the Sydney Shatterdome. But that was what he could smell—peppermint.

It reminded him of home. One of the few pleasant memories he had of it.

When he was younger, he and Anika had played in a small glen; the tiny stream that ran through it tapered off into a waterfall. Beneath it, right by the bank, a shaded area was home to peppermint, which they'd often gather or just relax in. The smell was soothing and no one ever bothered them there, so it became associated with safety.

But he wasn't there—Anika was gone and that place had lost its magic, its safety with her passing.

"...wait, really?"

"Yes, really. K-Science is...kinda fun." That was Raleigh and he sounded disgruntled.

"If yer friend converts my boyfriend to bein' a kaiju groupie..." Chuck growled sourly.

"Not a groupie. But it is interesting. Besides, K-science could have its uses." The blond grumbled.

Chuck's voice was icy when he responded, "oh? What're you gonna do, reverse-engineer 'em and make 'em fight for us?"

"No. But if we could find something that'd give us an added edge...the studying would be worth it."

"He has a point." Mako murmured to break the ensuing silence.

He felt the shifting of people close to him; he guessed it was Raleigh hugging and attempting to soothe a discomfited Chuck.

He opened his eyes to find that he'd fallen asleep on Hermann.

Dark eyes met his; there was a hint of concern, but there was no anger. No "why is this dimwit sleeping on me?". No discomfort, no sign of this having irritated him in the least.

"Better?" The other scientist asked with uncharacteristic gentleness.

He nodded absently as he realized the peppermint scent came from Hermann. Newt turned his head slightly to see what he'd guessed.

Raleigh held Chuck, who's jaw was clenched; he wouldn't meet Raleigh's eyes but...

"Relax." He managed out around a yawn. "Your boyfriend has a deep-seated hatred of the kaiju; tol' me so from day one."

Chuck glared at him, but relaxed slightly when Raleigh pressed a kiss to his temple. "Fine."

"Thanks." Newt added, smothering another yawn.

"I believe it is Newton's bed time." Hermann stated.

Newt spluttered as Mako grinned, Yancy chuckled and Raleigh snickered. Chuck just huffed.

Hermann calmly escorted Newt out of the room and towards what he assumed would be his own.

"Later!" Raleigh called.

"Yeah, later." Newt mumbled.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt yawned and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Mmmwha?"

"I see you're finally awake." 

He jolted and turned to find Hermann, who was at a small desk with a sheet of paper.

"Where...?" He looked around, still fairly sleep-addled.

Hermann sighed softly before he put the paper down. "My room."

He gaped.

The other scientist was unbothered. "Raleigh seemed concerned, to the extent that he would not have been willing to let you alone. And it was obvious that Chuck needed some reassurance, which his boyfriend would have had difficulty providing if he was fussing over you."

Newt stiffened. "Look, I didn't--"

"I know. No offense was meant."

"Thanks." He bit out, still irritated. 

The last fucking thing he wanted was to get between Raleigh and Chuck. They were a far cry from married, but they were in a committed relationship, which Newt respected. He also was friends with the blond now and it was obvious that Chuck made him happy. And as much as he wasn't friends with Chuck, it was also good to see the normally cocksure and abrasive pilot calmer and happier. They worked well, together. And he was not his mother; he was beyond not his fucking mother. He barely fucking dated to begin with because of all the trouble his mother's "love" had brought him.

A warm hand settled on his back; the contact was grounding, soothing.

"Relax. I know you have no designs on either; you have even given Raleigh advice to help him with Chuck."

He nodded, but was considerably less tense than he had been.

"I need to get to the lab. Have an important test to do today." He swung his legs off the bed and his feet barely hit the floor before he was standing, heading for the door.

Newt ignored the concern on Hermann's face and murmured another "thanks" before he left.

...he was thankful the other man hadn't called his bullshit, though.

-x-x-x-x-

"Here."

He looked up from his food to find Tendo, who's hand was outstretched; in it was a peppermint.

"Thanks." He murmured, accepting it. He'd eat it after dinner.

"You looked like you could use a bit of pick-me-up. She givin' you trouble again?" The man slid into the seat next to him.

Neither needed to specify who the 'she' was.

"She called. Raleigh was concerned, she overheard him call me 'Newt'."

The J-Tech Chief winced.

"You okay...?"

He shrugged. "No big deal. I hung up."

"Jeez." Tendo mumbled. "You want me to put a block on her number?"

He paused a moment, seriously considering it. "...no. I appreciate it, but no."

"If you change your mind...."

"You'll be the first to know. Thanks."

That earned him a small smile. "Anytime, man."

The two made small talk over dinner.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt retreated to his room and wondered why, for the thousandth time, his mother would never understand.

There was a reason he called himself 'Newt'.

Newton was the name of the bastard that had abandoned them, had left them to fend for themselves. Had given Anika half of her genes, the faulty half that had taken her life.

Geiszler was her last name. The name that marked him as a bastard himself, bearing his mother's last name instead of his father's.

So Newt? Newt was his, all his. No relation to either his mother or the bastard who provided half of his genes. And if it was a shortened, bastardized form of the name that asshole had claimed so proudly? Well, that was for him to smirk over.

And as far as respect went? He'd fought for every bit of recognition he ever got; if someone dismissed him because of his name, they'd learn the error of their ways when he talked circles around them in whatever subject they brought up. He was smart, almost scarily so and he wasn't above using it to his advantage if the situation called for it.

After a moment, he pushed off his bed, slipped his shoes back on and headed for the lab. He knew he wouldn't sleep well in this mood and there was always science to be done.

-x-x-x-x-

Things had been weird, the past week or so. Hermann was much friendlier; markedly more so than before, even. And things between Raleigh and Chuck? Seemed to be a bit strained. Newt winced at that; the poor blond was going spare over his boyfriend. Tendo was a bit odd, too. He'd taken to joining him and Hermann at dinner. And there was this funny little furrow to his brows whenever Hermann flirted with him. Or at least what he guessed was flirting.

At any rate, while he was none too sure what to do on the Tendo or Hermann fronts, the Chuck-and-Raleigh one? That one he could do something about.

"Hey, Chuck!"

The look the Aussie gave him, even though he did stop, said it all.

"Look, I just wanted to talk to you for a sec."

"About what?"

The tiny scientist mentally steeled himself; he was no Ranger. If Chuck took a swing at him, he was going down and he was going down hard.

"Raleigh."

The muscle in the taller man's jaw twitched. "What about him?"

"He's a friend and a damn good lab assistant."

Green eyes flashed.

"...But, first and foremost, he's your boyfriend." Newt continued. "I'm not interested, really." He gave a small rueful smile. The person he was interested in suddenly seemed to return the sentiment and he had no clue what to do; how the hell would he handle Raleigh on top of that?

Chuck nodded stiffly before he continued on.

Newt felt like that had gone well, for once.

-x-x-x-x-

Mako entered the lab.

Which gave Newt pause.

She was by no means a wilting flower; she did as needed to be done, regardless of what it was but he knew she did not like it down here. Whether it was lingering trauma or just a distinct hatred of the kaiju, he was never quite sure, but either way. She didn't like it down here, so unless it was work-mandated, she never set foot near the lab, let alone in it.

"What is your plan, exactly?" 

"My plan?" He repeated blankly; he'd long since given up on his scientific method plan to find out if Hermann was interested. By all accounts, he seemed to be and now he had no fucking clue what to do.

"With Raleigh."

"Raleigh? Uh, he's a good lab assistant?" Newt offered, not sure what she was getting at.

"And that's all?"

"Well, he's a good friend. Which is why I tried talking to Chuck, so he knows I'm not into Raleigh. Not like that. I mean, he's cute and all but he's not my type. Plus, he's with Chuck. So...yeah." The scientist mumbled.

"...that is not what Chuck understood." Mako stated.

"Well, nothing I'm doing here is super pressing. So let's find him, shall we?"

She smiled slightly and nodded.

-x-x-x-x-

The two found an visibly upset Raleigh lurking outside Chuck's door. 

"Chuck?" He knocked.

"Fuck off!" Came the snarl.

Raleigh looked at the two of them, completely shocked.

Newt could understand that. While Chuck definitely had a volatile temper, he usually had to be provoked in some way before he'd lash out at those he was close to. And Raleigh, as his boyfriend, would probably have learned most of those triggers and made a point not to address them unless necessary.

Which was why the blond looked so stunned now.

"Hey, open up!" Newt demanded, kicking the door.

The door whipped open; he had to look up at a furious Chuck.

"Look, apparently my phrasing was wrong so I'll spell it out for you: I. Do. Not. Want. Your. Boyfriend. As. Anything. Other. Than. A. Friend. And. Lab. Assistant."

"Lab assistant?" Chuck sneered as Mako prevented the blond from interrupting.

"Yes, lab assistant. For someone who's not trained as one, he's pretty damn good. Better than the ones I had even before the budget cuts started."

"So you..." The angry Aussie trailed off, jaw muscle clenching.

"Took you aside to talk to you because I wanted to make sure you didn't get the wrong idea but ended up giving you the wrong idea by accident? Yes."

"...shit." Chuck mumbled.

Newt moved out of the way so Raleigh could talk to him in peace; Mako led the way to lunch, which he guessed he was actually going to take in the cafeteria for once.

-x-x-x-x-

Tendo was distant. In a manner similar to how he'd been after Newt made the mistake of mentioning he'd like to see a kaiju alive up close.

Seeing as he made a point to never, ever mention that again as well as keep all the neutralized kaiju blue under control and in the lab, he didn't know what he could've done to earn the enmity.

Mako, who'd sat beside him, turned to greet Yancy.

"Chuck took you declaring Raleigh just-a-friend the wrong way?" He asked.

Newt nodded.

Yancy sighed. "They need to work on their communication."

The scientist would have nodded, but he felt he didn't exactly have room to talk.

-x-x-x-x-

The next day, Chuck turned up at the lab around lunch time.

"Uh. Hi?" He mumbled in greeting, unsure of why the Aussie was here.

"Lunch." The redhead stated flatly. "Comin'?"

"Sure?" He responded and quickly put what he was working on away, then scrubbed himself of any lingering residue. 

Some of the tense lines of Chuck's form relaxed once they left the lab.

"No worries." Newt chirped. "I make sure everything is neutralized and there's always three breathing masks within reach; I also check 'em weekly."

Chuck stared.

"You don't like it down there cuz kaiju bits, yeah? And Raleigh being down there probably makes you a bit anxious. So..."

"You some kinda mind reader?"

"Nah. Just..." He masked a flinch. "Good at reading people."

"You an' Raleigh." The Aussie grumbled.

"Well, I dunno why he is. My ability to read people was kinda...unavoidable. Let's put it that way."

When he glanced over, the redhead was staring at him again; he wasn't sure what to call the expression on his face. Chuck seemed to shrug it off, then led the way to the line.

-x-x-x-x-

"Someone managed to pry you away from your work?" Raleigh teased as he took at seat at the table he usually claimed for dinner.

He, Mako and Yancy were already there. Chuck joined them a moment later.

"Yeah. Your boyfriend, actually."

Chuck flushed when all eyes turned to him. "Shuttup."

Yancy grinned. "Awh, lil Chuckie's making amends. It's so--" He quickly dodged a swat from Raleigh.

Mako steadfastly ignored them and asked Newt how his research was going.

"...it's weird." He admitted. "Every piece I go through is near identical. Same skin, same cells, same...everything. Almost like..." He frowned, then shook his head. No way.

Chuck turned his attention from the bickering Beckets. "Almost like what?" 

"Like clones." Newt finally mumbled reluctantly. "There's not that close a match between siblings or parents, even. Only way it could be as close as it is would be with clones."

"They all look really different, though. Yamarashi and Bonesquid--"

"Look completely different but their skin tissue and inner organs are essentially identical, though not all in the same spots in their chest cavities." He rattled off with a sigh. "I'm really hoping not, but it's looking to be...yeah."

"Great. Clones. Star Wars, sea monster edition." Yancy grumbled.

"Exactly. Only, they're a bit more efficient as cannon fodder."

"And can actually hit shit." Yancy added with a sigh.

Raleigh made a face, hand absently going to newly cracked ribs; Chuck scowled, expression murderous. Mako stiffened but did not seem inclined to respond otherwise, though her gaze did flit to Yancy, who sported a matching set to Raleigh's.

"Any other cheery news?" Chuck growled.

Newt almost responded that Hermann was flirting with him so things were looking up but promptly clapped his hands over his mouth; he really wasn't ready to discuss that. At all.

"Tendo!" Yancy greeted.

The tiny scientist smothered a wince as Tendo took the seat next to the older blond pilot.

"Hey all." He greeted.

"Hey." Newt responded amidst the chorus of replies, keeping his eyes on his food.

Tendo nodded but his eyes almost seemed to skim over him.

He smothered the sick feeling attempting to make him lose the bit of lunch he'd eaten.

-x-x-x-x-

It became routine after that; every day, without fail, Chuck came to get him for lunch. With time, Chuck became more relaxed about the lab. He actually seemed a bit impressed by how many safety precautions Newt took.

Today was the same as the days before; all had settled in to eat when Tendo joined them.

Newt focused on his food. He was more irritated than upset, now. As far as he knew, he'd done nothing to piss the J-Tech Chief off, so this behavior was unwarranted. 

"That reminds me."

The talk at the table paused obligingly.

He looked up to find Tendo's eyes on him.

"I don't get why Gottlieb's flirting with you."

Raleigh turned to him, eyes blazing.

Tendo continued before the blond could cut in. "He's married."

-x-x-x-x-

Newt became aware of things in stages. He was uncomfortable. The uncomfortable became sitting on something cold and solid. The cold and discomfort was accompanied by wet. He blinked and raised his head.

He was on the roof, curled in a ball, leaning against the wall. It was raining.

He had no memory of how he got here. Then again, aside from the lab and his room, the roof was "his" spot. Like K-Science had become to Raleigh. The place to go when a break was necessary; the place to go to get away from it all, even if it was just for a half hour.

He was gonna guess he'd been out there longer than usual; it'd been about lunch time when he'd presumably headed up and it was dark now. Despite the physical discomfort, he...wasn't so sure he wanted to head back in just yet.

He closed his eyes and resisted the urge to puke as it all came rushing back.

Hermann had been flirting with him.

He'd flirted back, smiling and friendly and trusting and...

And Hermann was married.

_Pebbles struck him; sliced his skin, made warm, sticky blood dribble down his exposed flesh as he ran from them._

_"That's right, run!"_

_"Yeah, run like your stupid whore mom should have!"_

_"You'll be just like her! Go be a whore someplace else!"_

"Newt!"

He looked up; Raleigh and Chuck stood in front of him.

"Hey."

"Christ." Chuck growled before he hauled him to his feet. "Inside, now."

"But—"

Neither accepted any argument. They stopped by his room to grab clothes but kept going. Newt didn't bother protesting, then; just let himself be towed along.

-x-x-x-x-

He felt a bit more human after a shower and a clean set of clothes.

"Th—"

Raleigh dragged him onto the bed with him and Chuck.

He froze; fuck fuck fuck f—

Chuck pulled the blanket up and made sure Newt was tucked in between the two of them.

"Hey, it's alright." Raleigh slipped an arm around him; Chuck scooted closer.

That was when he realized this was a cuddle puddle, albeit a smaller-than-usual one.

"Why—" His voice broke.

"Relax." The Aussie grumbled. "Mako and Yancy will be back soon with some soup."

"But..." He continued, ignoring how much his throat hurt.

Raleigh handed him a water bottle; he gratefully downed some.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because you're our friend." Chuck responded in a "duh, dumbass" tone.

"But I—"

"You didn't know he was married, Newt. The look on your face after Tendo said it would've convinced any of us if we'd thought so to begin with." Raleigh murmured as both tried to comfort him.

Newt broke and the entire story came spilling out.

-x-x-x-x-

It was probably for the best that Newt had dozed off after his combined physical and mental exhaustion. He missed the sheer fury exuded by the four others in the cuddle puddle, which he might've mistaken as directed at him. In reality, the four wanted to find the fucking town and knock some sense into its inhabitants.

"Jesus fuck." Raleigh growled.

"We're gonna keep him company, yeah?" Yancy decided now would be the time to steer the conversation toward productive waters.

"Hell yeah." Chuck responded. "No fuckin' way he deserves this shit."

"And I will be speaking to Tendo." Mako added, tone on the edge of icy.

"It's agreed this doesn't go beyond this room?" Raleigh asked once he managed to calm down.

The other three nodded.

-x-x-x-x-

When Newt woke up this time, it was the complete opposite. Warm, dry...safe.

"Nnn?"

"Morning." 

He all but flailed out of bed and onto the floor at the sound of Raleigh's voice.

"Relax." Chuck grumbled as he resettled the scientist on the bed.

"...right." Newt muttered, fidgeting.

"You're still Newt. Still the slightly manic scientist who's lab assistant I moonlight as." Raleigh informed him firmly.

"My boyfriend's best friend, I guess." Chuck mumbled. "An' one of mine."

-x-x-x-x-

From there, Newt was...shocked. One of the four would spend time with him—as long as he wanted it; if he asked, they'd let him alone—and he was always invited to join their activities, be it card playing or movie nights or sparring in the Kwoon. (Though he tended to prefer observing to participating in the last one.)

"You guys don't..." He found himself asking.

"The people in your town are assholes. Forget 'em." Chuck stated; Mako and Yancy nodded.

Raleigh gave Chuck an Eskimo kiss. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Chuck turned red, spluttering; Yancy and Mako hid grins while Newt relaxed.

"…thanks." He murmured.

"None needed." Mako responded softly as Yancy got drawn into an impromptu wrestling match on the floor. The cards ended up being strewn everywhere, so he and Mako simply retreated to the bed as the other three tried to pin each other.

-x-x-x-x-

Newt hadn't seen Tendo since that day.

He had seen Hermann. And while he knew he couldn't pull off normal-him, he felt he'd managed a blandly civil version of himself just fine. It was that version he continued to display whenever he saw the man, because he honestly wasn't sure what to say, let alone how to say it.

So he continued to bask in the warmth and acceptance the four granted him, did his work and did not let the time Hermann was in the lab dictate his; overall, he felt like he'd managed it quite well. At least he'd found out before he'd done anything truly regrettable. So he guessed he owed Tendo a thanks for that, if nothing else...

-x-x-x-x-

A petite but terrifying woman stormed into the cafeteria, brown eyes sharp as she scanned the tables.

Newt resisted the urge to hide behind Raleigh; if this was Hermann's wife, come to bitch him out for flirting with her man, he'd deal. And then he'd apologize but also make sure she knew HE had no idea the man was married.

"CHOI!" She snarled; Tendo jumped about a foot.

"Vanessa. Hi." The J-Tech Chief looked like he was half tempted to run away.

"Who the FUCK told you to get involved, huh?" The woman switched to German for the rest of her tirade; Newt blocked it out, but exchanged confused glances with the other four at the table.

-x-x-x-x-

They were leaving when the woman approached them; she seemed quite a bit calmer.

"Could I speak with you privately, Newt?" She asked.

He swallowed. "Sure."

"Before you do—Newt didn't know. Not like Gottlieb wears a ring or talks about you." Chuck informed her; Raleigh put a hand on his arm.

"You are...?"

The Aussie bristled. "Newt's friend."

"We all are." Mako added, a subtle hint of a threat in her tone. "And we'd very much like for you to not yell at Newt for not knowing Gottlieb was married."

She smiled. "You're in luck, then. The only one I came to yell at already got his earful." 

All five stared.

"If you would?" She offered Newt her arm; he hesitantly accepted it.

-x-x-x-x-

"So what is it you wanted to talk about, then?"

She sighed softly. "First, I'm Vanessa."

"Newt. But you already knew that."

She considered him; she seemed almost...sad. "Obviously my husband went about this the wrong way."

Of all the things he'd expected, that was not one of them.

-x-x-x-x-

"You..."

Vanessa giggled at the perplexed look. "Are perfectly fine with you and Hermann? Yes. I'd prefer to be able to watch or participate, but..."

"But you're married. To Hermann."

"I am." Her smile was tender. "But we both agreed that we wanted someone else—a third. You'd be an equal in our relationship, Newt. A father to any children that might result, same as Hermann."

"Both of you?" He repeated weakly.

"Yes, both." She enveloped him in a warm, gentle hug. "Think on it. I've been reassigned here for the foreseeable future; you're welcome to stop in and see both or either of us at any time."

"...do you care if I mention this to..."

"To your friends? No. I'd prefer it not get around the 'Dome, though. I honestly couldn't care less, but Hermann is very private."

Newt nodded shakily.

"Would you mind terribly if I escorted you back to your friends? You're looking a little pale."

"Not at all." He responded and accepted her offered arm again.

-x-x-x-x-

"Are you okay?" Raleigh fussed over him while Mako, Yancy and Chuck settled into comfortable spots in the cuddle puddle.

"Y-yeah." He mumbled. "Uh. Apparently Vanessa and...Hermann...are...poly?"

All four stopped and stared for a moment.

"So Hermann was flirting and...they want me..." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. He really wasn't articulating this well.

"Oh." Mako murmured. "So it was with the intent of having you join their relationship, yes?"

He nodded.

"How would that work?" Raleigh grumbled.

"The same as a relationship with two people, only with three, I guess." Newt responded.

"Do you want to?" That was Chuck, green eyes sharp as they considered him.

"I...don't know."

Silence enveloped the cuddle puddle, but it was a comfortable one.

Yancy broke it. "Well, whatever you choose...we're still here."

That brought a smile to his face as the other three chimed in.

-x-x-x-x-

He took a deep breath as he considered the door. It wasn't a remarkable door; no, it was the same as the others in the Shatterdome. It was what was beyond it that made him pause.

Newt knew that Hermann and Vanessa were in; he made a point to wait until after dinner on a night when he knew both would not be working after hours. He took another breath, then knocked.

Vanessa opened the door and smiled when she saw him. "C'mon in, Newt."

-x-x-x-x-

He met Hermann's eyes cautiously; they still hadn't really talked since he'd found out the man was married.

"I am sorry, Newt."

He stared.

"My intent was not to upset you."

"...you didn't know." He murmured. "It's...not something I usually talk about. But I'm gonna now, okay? Because if...if I'm gonna do this, you need to know. Both of you."

"Come sit with us then?" Vanessa stood fairly close; she looked like she wanted to slip an arm around him or hug him but wasn't sure he'd like that.

He nodded and was coaxed into sitting on the bed next to the two of them. Newt took another breath, then began to explain. Before he was done, both had touched him somehow; a hand on the back in Hermann's case, a quick hug in Vanessa's.

"So..."

"So if you decide to get involved with us, you'll have some hangups. And you'll need reassurance." Vanessa summed up.

He nodded stiffly.

"Well, an important part of any relationship is communication." Hermann commented.

-x-x-x-x-

They started slow. The two had been together a while and had a routine; one they had no problems both adjusting and easing Newt into. But it was agreed that everything would go slowly, carefully. And if anything was upsetting to any party, it was to be discussed as soon as possible.

On the whole, Newt...he was happy. He was getting to know more about Hermann; he and Vanessa were slowly learning more about each other. He'd been surprised by how much she already knew, then recalled that she'd probably discussed him with Hermann at some point. On one hand, that made him slightly unsettled. On the other...he kinda wanted to know what was said.

So he asked.

They answered readily; Vanessa amused, Hermann slightly embarrassed. All ended up chuckling by the end of it.

Sleeping arrangements were...iffy. Sometimes he spent the night with them, though all that went on was cuddling. Other nights, he just wanted to be alone. Or thought that perhaps they'd like to be.

They'd let him get away with that for a bit, but confronted him. Gently, they told him that if they'd wanted alone time, they would ask for it. So could he please stop disappearing on them unless he actually wanted to be alone?

He'd nodded and was then enveloped in the warm, soothing wave of affection the two held for him. Neither seemed to mind that he was still hesitant, still careful. They were also more than okay with the fact that he wanted to keep this quiet. The two also had no problems with fussing over him in their own ways, either. They gave him all the comfort and reassurance he could ask for and then some. He tried his best to reciprocate; some days were better than others.

But they always were able to talk about it, to handle any problem before it got blown out of proportion. And both were also alright with the fact that Newt still got dragged into cuddle puddles. Between his...boyfriend and girlfriend?...and his friends, he had everything he could ask for. 

It was weird. For so long he'd thought that his mother was his only family.

Now he knew, though. Now he knew that he'd found himself another family; an open, friendly, loving, accepting one. Two people who liked, if not loved, him for him; knew of his past, his origins and still wanted him, all of him. Four people who liked and talked to and took him for who he was; no compromise needed.

It was a heady feeling, acceptance. One he'd been craving for longer than he cared to admit. High school, college and the life after hadn't been bad but he'd never clicked with others the way he'd clicked with the people he was now proud to call family.

Both Vanessa and Hermann had been there when he called his mutti; explained to her that he was happy where he was and that he had no desire to return to the village ever again; told her that he had found a place where people didn't care who his dad hadn't been; all they cared about was him and who he was now.

She'd been silent for so long he thought she'd hung up.

But then she responded, "solange du glücklich bist.". 

He managed to choke out a "leb wohl" before the tears pricked his eyes.

Vanessa and Hermann had held him as the relief flowed in, filling the space the tears left.

-x-x-x-x-

It was still slow going, but that was alright. He had his friends and his science and his boyfriend and girlfriend—they'd agreed those were the proper terms, unless Newt had others he'd prefer? He had a life.

And while he sometimes still had those days where he felt like he was back home, with everyone watching and judging and sneering...they were getting fewer as time went on. 

He supposed the fact that he could go cuddle and kiss Vanessa and Hermann at the end of the bad days helped with that.

It was three months—three long, careful months—before he was comfortable enough to ask about the next step. 

The gentle, reassuring smiles he received after he asked cemented his decision.

-x-x-x-x-

Sex with two other people was...an experience. The first couple times were fumbling and normally ended up with laughter and Hermann turning red. From there, though, they'd learned.

It was just like the start of their relationship—they had to take it at their own pace and progress as they felt comfortable.

And as Newt lay between Hermann and Vanessa, he couldn't think of another time when he'd felt so at home—with himself and with those around him.

-x-x-x-x-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~And up next, is the story of Max's name.~~  
>  I lied. There's gonna be a small companion blurb to this fic involving Chuck/his thoughts from Newt attempting to assure and Newt finally going "NO DO NOT WANT".


	2. Chuck's side of things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little bit about Chuck and why he acted as he did between Newt's attempt to make him feel better and Newt finally spelling out that he's not interested in Raleigh.
> 
> Angst and fluff ahoy, since I can't fucking write anything else.

Chuck felt sick as the scientist walked away from him.

It was obvious the man had been trying to assure him but that rueful smile only made his stomach churn.

That was the man Raleigh spent some of his unwind-time with. The man who Raleigh tended to speak of with a grin and amusement. And that was also the man who apparently had a thing for Raleigh.

He could see it now.

Newt, small and adorable and innocent. And in need of some sort of comfort.

Raleigh wouldn't be able to resist; he had a protective streak several kilometers wide. It'd start small, with him fussing over his just-a-friend. Then that just-a-friend would begin to eat up more and more of his time; his feelings would mutate from friendship to something stronger because of all the time he'd spend with the small and adorable and innocent man who needed him.

He swallowed.

He was tall; he wasn't adorable; he sure as fuck wasn't innocent. And to add to his misery, Raleigh also had a fondness for cute things. Couple that with the protective streak and Chuck guessed the only reason Raleigh had ended up with him was because it took so long for the blond to venture into K-Science, let alone spend a significant amount of time there.

-x-x-x-x-

In spite of that, he tried to act normal. Act like nothing was wrong. Act like the guy he'd been crushing on since he first turned on the tv and saw that huge grin coupled with amazing blue eyes wasn't going to slowly slip away. After he'd gotten to know the man, his feelings ran deeper and different, but that had been the start. And it'd been going since then.

Only now he knew how this would end. With Newt getting dragged into the cuddle puddles, coaxed into movie nights and affectionate kisses, be they Eskimo or with lips. Actually. The scientist probably wouldn't have to be coaxed into that. He seemed to be a normal, non-fucked-up human being. The guy was from Germany, so it was doubtful he had a giant chip on his shoulder or lost family due to kaiju. 

So he really was Chuck's antithesis. 

...well, it'd make Raleigh's life easier if nothing else. He wouldn't have to deal with a caustic, bitter and emotionally stunted idiot who was barely able to return his affection some days.

A gentle kiss pressed to his temple drew him from his thoughts.

"You okay?" There was a tenderness there, in his voice and eyes, that made Chuck mask a wince.

It wasn't him who'd be on the receiving end of that look soon.

"Yeah." He responded but looked away.

-x-x-x-x-

He made it through another couple of days of pretending things were okay. Then he couldn't take it anymore. After lunch, he ducked Raleigh—not hard, he was distracted—and hid in his room.

Chuck knew he was being petty, but...it seemed inevitable. 

The sudden knock startled him.

"Chuck?"

Fuck, it was Raleigh. Fuck fuck fuck. He was supposed to be after that scientist, not here.

"Fuck off!" He snarled. It was better this way; it had to be. Anything was better than watching him slowly drift away.

"Hey, open up!"

 ** _That fucker._**

Chuck had swung the door open before he even registered that he'd moved from his bed.

-x-x-x-x-

He knew after his mumble of "shit" that he stood there, blinking like a fucking moron, while Raleigh gently pushed him into his room. He saw the tiny scientist following Mako to what he assumed would be their lunch before the blond closed the door.

"Chuck."

He couldn't look at him. Fucking hell, he'd messed up.

A small sigh escaped Raleigh before he was pulled into a gentle hug. After a few moments, he relaxed and returned it; he turned his head to the side before Raleigh was able to give him an Eskimo kiss, though.

"Hey."

His hand cupped the side of Chuck's face; the Aussie reluctantly turned to meet his eyes.

A chaste kiss was pressed to his lips.

"I love you." Raleigh Becket stated in the same way others said the sky was blue. 

He froze.

"Just the way you are." He continued, kissing the Aussie's forehead. "And I don't wish you were shorter or more innocent. I'm pretty sure you already know I find you cute, among other things." His blue eyes darkened for a second. 

"You like cute, short, innocent things." He found himself mumbling.

"Yeah, I like them just fine."

He looked up to find that tender smile directed at him again; the blond leaned in, but stopped.

Chuck closed the gap and gave Raleigh an Eskimo kiss, then looked down, trying to ignore the heat that flooded his cheeks. When he looked up again, Raleigh was beaming.

"M sorry." He muttered into the other man's shoulder as he tightened the hug.

A kiss was pressed to the top of his head. "Apology accepted."

"Next time...I'll...I'll talk to you. Before it gets that bad."

"And next time I'll pay better attention. I knew something was bothering you, but I couldn't think of what it could be..." The blond trailed off.

Chuck kissed him. "We still need to work on communication."

"Yeah. Both of us." He sighed again.

The Aussie swallowed. "Well, if you're not runnin' off with..."

"Newt." Raleigh supplied helpfully.

"...Newt...then what's going on?"

"He just seems to be having a rough time. And he helped me out—gave me the final push to talk to you about the tech, even."

"He did?"

That earned him a small smile. "Yeah. He told me that you were happier, since we got together. And reminded me that I didn't have to be perfect."

"You don't." Chuck murmured. "You don't have to be. You're...you. An'..."

"It's fine." Raleigh soothed when he couldn't seem to get the words out.

 _No, it isn't._ Chuck thought darkly. But he had an idea that might help, just a little.

-x-x-x-x-

The look on Raleigh's face when he found out that Chuck was the one who'd dragged Newt to lunch helped, immensely. He might not be ready to say the words just yet, but showing it? That he could do. And if it made him a bit more physically demonstrative towards his boyfriend, in the hopes that touches would do where words failed, well...that was between him and Raleigh.

...and apparently Mako and Yancy too, to an extent, since all they ever seemed to fucking do was walk in at the wrong time.

**Author's Note:**

> Up next for real this time is the story how Max's name.  
> And why my muse is getting sent to FluffyHappyBunnyLand for all of eternity.
> 
> This bloody fic did not want to begin.  
> Almost 9k worth of words later, it didn't want to end.  
> Thankfully, it now has. Which means I just have the story of Max's name and a liiiiiittle wrap up for this one. (Which may or may not involve something that causes Yancy to make a dying-cat-noise.)
> 
> And, of course, obligatory: [Tumblrrrrrr](http://strikereurekatech.tumblr.com/)


End file.
